Ukrainian soldiers are participating in training exercises with U.S. forces in Germany, sharing drone warfare tactics they have developed during the ongoing conflict with Russia. These exercises, held in the Bavarian foothills, involve the U.S. Army learning from Ukrainian experience and integrating drone strategies and equipment into its own units. Brig. Gen. Terry Tillis, who leads the U.S. training unit based in Germany, noted that the Army now has 1,900 drones representing the latest lessons from Ukraine’s war efforts. This collaboration marks a growing public acknowledgment of U.S.-Ukrainian military cooperation, particularly in the use of drone technology. While the U.S. Army has made progress in deploying drones to soldiers, leaders have yet to clearly outline how to adapt traditional ground forces for drone warfare. An anonymous Army official mentioned that while there is agreement on the importance of incorporating drones, the Army still needs to determine how best to structure its forces for this new type of warfare. The 173rd Airborne Brigade, which is leading the exercises, has sent some soldiers to Ukraine to learn from Ukrainian drone expertise. Ukrainian military personnel have also participated in the exercise, sharing knowledge on electronic warfare, drone operations, and lessons from combat. According to the Army’s chief technology officer, Anthony Miller, about half of the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s simulated combat encounters in the exercise involved drones. Recent leadership changes have impacted the Army’s drone initiatives. In April, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth removed Gen. Randy George, the Army’s top uniformed officer, and replaced him with Gen. Christopher LaNeve. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll, a close ally of George, also recently left his position. Both George and Driscoll had supported the rapid adaptation of the Army to use drone technology. In their place, Trump has appointed Adam Telle, a civilian leader from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as the acting Army secretary. A specialized drone unit within the 173rd Airborne Brigade was recently ordered to disband and revert to a traditional infantry battalion after nearly a year of operation. The Army stated that this return to a conventional mission had always been part of the plan, though previous leadership had expected the unit to continue its drone work. While the loss of the specialized unit may be a setback, an Army official noted that it remains unclear whether such units will be the long-term direction for the Army’s drone strategy. The Army’s chief technology officer has advised against centralizing drone expertise in one unit, advocating instead for spreading drone integration across the brigade and the Army as a whole. This strategy appears to have worked well in the exercises involving the 173rd Airborne Brigade. Ukraine, recognizing the importance of drones in modern warfare, established a separate branch of its armed forces, the Unmanned Systems Forces, two years ago. Today, drones are so central to Ukraine’s military operations that it is rare to find a unit that does not use them in some capacity, often alongside traditional weapons.